Replacement
by lexieconextreme
Summary: There's another Michael can use as a Sword. The only problem is getting to him. Okay, that's a lie. That's not the only problem.


**A/N: Ayyyyyyyy!**

 **'Sup?**

 **I'm not gonna lie, this one-shot is based off another FMA/SPN cross-over, Fullmetal Vessel, that doesn't seem like it's gonna be updated any time soon. If the original author,** _ **A Little Lost 1,**_ **minds, please let me know!**

 **For anyone else who is interested, I'm working on chapter 2 of Imaginary Friends right now, though I don't have a lot of free time. Finals at my school are approaching, and all my teachers are rushing to fit everything else they had planned into the schedule. This is just an in-between story that came to me and be in Geometry while I should have been studying. I'm not sorry.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own FMA or SPN, or the idea for this fic.**

* * *

Michael would've frowned if he had a corporeal body. But of course he didn't, so he couldn't. He figured it would be quite frustrating if he wasn't already supremely frustrated with something else. Or rather, some _one_ else.

"Zachariah," Michael called. The angel turned, avoiding looking him in the eyes. Or where Michael's eyes would have been had he a physical body. Which, of course, was the issue.

Zachariah stared at Michael's feet unhappily, either unwilling or too cowed to look his boss's boss in the metaphorical face.

"Why haven't you closed the deal on Dean Winchester?"

Zachariah opened his mouth as if to respond, and Michael spoke again. "Did you actually think I wanted an answer, Zachariah? Your failure is unacceptable! The war is coming, and you _know_ Lucifer will not wait a single moment to attack. I _need_ my vessel!"

"I know, my lord! Believe me, I know! But we have time! Lucifer won't attack unless Sam is his vessel, and if Sam is anything like his brother-"

"Believe me, I know," Michael growled. "In his youth, Sam made it his objective to emulate his brother in almost every way. It didn't stop with clothes or taste in music, though Sam seems to have changed the latter. No, it went all the way to personality. Sam will never say yes, so long as his brother says no. They're stubborn."

Zachariah looked anxious, and rightly. Michael felt the urge to smite the weasel, but he restrained himself. Zachariah had his...uses. The boys may not like him much, and they were definitely never going to say yes to Zachariah's face.

In fact, Michael wasn't quite sure why Naomi continued to deploy the angel into the field when he clearly couldn't do his job. Perhaps he should speak to her on the matter.

But Naomi wasn't the problem here. Zachariah was, and he seemed incapable of doing a simple job. Or maybe not so simple, as he knew from experience how stubborn Winchesters could be. Michael remembered being inside John Winchester's, ah, _meat suit_ , as hunters of earth so delicately put it. John's stubbornness was formidable even before he became a hunter, and he was the reason the boys were like they were.

Ah, Dad, the Apocalypse. Michael had thought years ago that when it finally came around that it would be exhausting during the fight. Never in a millennium would he have thought it would be so exhausting to simply convince his vessel to say _yes_.

Bringing his mind back to the present, Michael realized that Zachariah had taken his silence to blabber on and on about how it wasn't his fault (which was debatable), how they still had time ( _possibly,_ there was no knowing when Sam Winchester would say yes), and how Michael really shouldn't fire him (he was considering it) because he was still completely capable of doing his job (again, debatable).

"Zachariah!" Michael said sharply. The other angel was instantly silenced.

"You...have a job to do. Your job description, you may be asking by this point as apparently you can't figure it out without help, is to get my vessel...to say _yes_. I don't know if it has come to your attention as of yet, Zachariah, but I _need_ my vessel. As loathe as I am to admit it, I _need_ Dean Winchester to win this war. To end it before it starts. Now _please_ tell me that you have made some sort of progress, because your words at this moment could save your neck. So please. Share."

Zachariah's mouth moved soundlessly for a few seconds before actual sound spilled out. "As you wish, Michael. Ah, as of yet I haven't been able to convince either of the Winchesters to play their roles."

Michael's celestial glow brightened dangerously, the sign of an archangel's wrath. Or growing irritation, an angel couldn't be too sure these days.

"B-but, I _have_ , however, found you a few...possible alternatives."

Michael soothed his irritation for now, feeling disappointed he wouldn't get to disintegrate Zachariah today. The glow died. "Who?" He growled, making sure the other angel felt his power, anger, and impatience.

"I-in a parallel universe, t-there's a child named-"

"Edward Elric," Michael filled in, his memory filling in the gaps for him. "The alchemist Truth had a problem with a few years ago."

"Y-yes. I've been studying the Elric brothers since their trespassing on holy ground, and I've come to the conclusion that the elder brother, Edward, could be a temporary vessel for you, if not that universe's version of the 'Michael Sword'."

"So..." Michael said slowly. "Edward Elric is a possible temporary vessel, the Nick to my Lucifer, and is also a possible Sword?"

"Yes, sir!"

"And you didn't tell me this before...why exactly?"

"You, er, you cut me off. Uh, sir."

Michael glared at Zachariah, once again feeling that urge to disintegrate the lower angel on the spot.

 _(He who hesitates...disintegrates!)_

Oh, how Michael loathed businessmen. That's what Zachariah was, really, the angel equivalent of a businessman. That was why he had been chosen to talk to the Winchester boys. Mistakenly, apparently.

Yes, he would certainly be speaking to Naomi about her choice of human-angel relation agents. But for now...

Michael forced himself to remember that he didn't know which universe his possible Sword resided in. Zachariah did, so for now, Michael needed him.

Of course, Michael could just kill Zachariah and find out from one of his associates which universe he needed to get to, but Michael was ready to get this show on the road. He was tired of waiting and waiting for the Battle to start. Tired of Dean Winchester stalling for the moment when Michael would kill both of their brothers in Stull Cemetery.

If there was another vessel Michael could take, if only for the short amount of time it would take to kill Lucifer, then he would do it. Even if the vessel wasn't the Sword, it would have to work.

By now, Michael had figured out that Dean was never going to say yes. The boy had too much pride, too much human emotion in general to accept Michael into his body. That was a road Michael should have seen and accepted from the start, but like a fool he had ignored it.

No, Dean would never accept Michael, the would-be proverbial monkey on his shoulder. In Dean's mind, he no doubt believed that he would become a prisoner in his own mind, chained to a being that burned like a comet entering the orbit of a planet.

It wasn't like he was wrong.

But there was no need to inform the new vessel of that fact.

* * *

Zachariah blinked one moment and was standing in an office the next. No one had noticed him yet, and for that he was glad. These were human military personnel, and dangerous ones at that. Well, there were really only two in the room to be feared at that moment. Edward Elric's boss, Roy Mustang, and his subordinate, Riza Hawkeye.

Hawkeye was just a human woman who was good with guns, but after watching everyone to do with Edward for potential threats, Zachariah had determined that she was not a woman to be underestimated. Nor was Mustang, though he had only his flame alchemy.

But it was not either of these two that Zachariah had been sent here to this world that lacked the advancement of the other for. No, he was looking for Edward Elric.

Zachariah silently willed his form to be invisible, walking around the group of desks in the center of the room quietly and making his way to the windows behind Mustang's desk. The angel stared out the window, wondering why the tracking spell had brought him here. Zachariah couldn't even sense Elric in the facility!

Zachariah suddenly received his context. The muted colors of Mustang's office disappeared and was replaced with solid white. Zachariah spun on his heel, sending off a jovial smile to Truth, who sat on the ground a little over ten feet away.

"Well, howdy! What can I do you for, Truth?"

Truth's grin grew slightly strained. " _Well, angel, you can tell me what you're doing in my universe. My brother_ did _promise I would have it all to myself, you know._ "

Zachariah was confused. Brother? What on earth was Truth talking about? He hid his confusion well, though Zachariah had the sinking feeling Truth could see right through him. "I'm, uh, here for one of the inhabitants of your domain."

The strained grin was replaced by an amused one. " _I think I can guess which one. Edward Elric, correct? You want him to be your replacement Michael Sword_?"

"So Elric _can_ be used as Michael's vessel?"

" _Yes, indeed he could. Though I think you'll have trouble convincing my little alchemist to be Michael's Sword. He has self-instilled obligations, the main one being to restore his brother's body, though I'm sure you knew that. I think you'll find that Edward is as equally stubborn as your Dean Winchester._ "

Zachariah frowned. "Not when I'm done with him! My life and job are on the line! The pipsqueak _will be Michael's Sword_!"

Now it was a taunting smirk. " _Oh, little angel? And what makes you think I'll let you have Edward? I've gone through a lot of trouble to make him into the person he is today, he's a good source of amusement._ "

"Amusement?! _Amusement_?! No! I will take Edward Elric, and he will be the Michael Sword!"

The taunting smile slid off Truth's face, turning into a dreadful frown. " _You know something, dear nephew of mine, I don't think I'll let you take him._ "

"Nephew?! Are you off your pills? I'll-"

Truth stopped the angel in his tracks, silencing him with a raised hand. Truth rose to his feet, approaching a frozen Zachariah slowly. Zachariah dimly noticed that the white world was slowly growing darker, as if the world was reflecting Truth's attitude. Or maybe his impatience.

" _You don't really know who I am, do you, nephew? No? Then let me tell you a story:_

* * *

 _Long ago, in the beginning, there were three. Not two, or even one as you've taught to believe. We were all siblings. Brothers and sister. There wasn't anything before us, and in the end, there won't be anything after us either._

 _There was Darkness, the oldest of us three. My sister. She was beautiful, or rather, I think, in the English language, the word should be glorious. In a way, Darkness was the sum of that universe. She filled it all, giving us endless playgrounds to work with our powers. She loved us, my brother and I. She would've done anything for us, I think. Up until we betrayed her._

 _Then there was the second oldest, the one who came into being after Darkness. Before we were, Darkness was alone. I think she created more beings like herself to create company. And for a long, long, long time, it worked. She created another, just one. Me. And for a long, long, long time, we were happy. Time didn't exist, so maybe it wasn't very long at all. A single instant or maybe it was a Forever, I don't know. All I do know is, we grew lonely._

 _We talked and talked and talked, we played and played and played. Our loneliness didn't abate. So finally, we decided to create another Being._

 _Darkness and I, we were used to being the only ones. The universe wasn't a universe back then, it was both Nothing and our Everything. We were used to it, and we were tired of it. Tired of being alone. And so creating another Being seemed only natural._

 _Darkness and I combined our powers to create a little brother. He was created in an instant, and in that instant, all we knew seemed better. Our little brother was the best of us all._

 _Can you guess who that third brother is, Zachariah? You don't say anything, but I can see the answer in your mind. Yes, our youngest brother was God, your father._

 _God was different than Darkness and I. He grew tired of our existence almost immediately. He was always dreaming, always thinking of things to create to improve existence. God was very imaginative. Today, I think he might be called a romantic._

 _One day, he had the idea to create little, imperfect Beings, made in our image. He wanted to create them, give them a place to live and be safe while he watched over them. However, God knew that our sister, Darkness, would not be pleased with this idea. She had always been Everything. She was literally the only thing we knew. The universe that hadn't yet been created was all Darkness, and creating the little Beings meant disturbing Darkness, taking away the dark._

 _So he planned in secret. We were not corporeal Beings, we were just energy. Our thoughts were merged, so much that one might confuse three as one. We were that connected. When God closed off his thoughts from us, we knew something was wrong._

 _God also knew that I, too, was growing bored of our long existence. Time didn't exist yet, but it sure seemed like it did. I was in sore need of amusement, and my brother knew this. He brought me in on his plan to create the little Beings, and I liked it. So I joined him, and I closed off my thoughts to Darkness so she could not discover what we were planning._

 _This upset her greatly. What upset her more was when one of our minds slipped. One of us revealed our plans, though I don't think either of us remembers anymore. It didn't matter. Darkness was on the very verge of destroying us, turning our essences back into nothing. She had that power, you know. She created us, and she could just as easily destroy us._

 _But God had another one of his ideas for creation. His ideas were always brilliant, and his creations were often of stunning beauty. In the blink of an eye and a flash of light, seven figures appeared before us. They faced Darkness with drawn weapons and strength within their souls. I had no doubt that within time, they could defeat our sister._

 _Yes, Zachariah, I can see you thinking it. The archangels. They fought with valor beyond measure, tooth and nail to protect their father. I was quite astounded. If something God had come up with and created within seconds was that brilliant, that amazing, then what would these other little Beings be like? Would they be even more wonderful?_

 _A short amount of Time passed, or maybe it was none at all. It was so long ago now that I can't remember. But soon after the archangels were created, they beat Darkness back. God had created a Cage for her. He was unwilling to kill our sister, and I agreed. She may have wanted to end our existences, but she was still our sister. The archangels had almost got Darkness fully within the Cage when she decided to create one more Being._

 _I guess she figured that if she was going to go down, then she would introduce a Being that would drive unhappiness in the world that God would create._

 _Just moments before the door to the Cage shut, she created Death. Meant to end any life that God would create as vengeance for his action against her. Neither God nor I knew about Death until after Lucifer had entered the Garden and turned Adam and Eve, ending their paradise._

 _We only found about him after Eve died while in her garden on Earth. It was then we discovered his purpose. We couldn't just vanquish him. Only the creator could destroy the creation. But we could cage him just as we did Darkness. And it happened again. In our arrogance, we assumed that Death was the only one of his kind. Instead, he had created more little Beings, which he called Reapers, that would continue his job while he was gone._

 _And me? I stayed with God and watched over his world for a long time. I was there when he created light, and then the earth, and space and the universe. It truly was beautiful, a masterpiece greater than anything Darkness could ever create._

 _Even after God disappeared, I continued to watch its people for a while. They were dark, and growing darker. Darkness had left her mark on God's creation, even while locked away. I suppose that was one of the reasons he left._

 _I think it was around the time that oliphaunts started dying off that I decided I wanted my own world. A paradise of my own. So I found my brother and told him what I wanted. He smiled and told me good luck._

 _I thought a moment, then simply pictured what I wanted. It was quite simple really. Just a separate universe, a blank canvass for me to create my own masterpiece. And I came here. And I created my world, with a Gate between the two._

 _It was a good world, beautiful like God's. It wasn't until my little imperfect Beings started dying that I realized that one of Death's creations had followed me through the Gate. It was also then that I realized that human beings are meant to die, even if God never intended it in the first place._

 _And so the little world spun on like you might expect, growing quite used to the presence of death. Human beings are quite resilient. They come to grow on you._

* * *

" _I know what you would do, Zachariah. You would torture Edward Elric until he became Michael's replacement Sword. But I will not let you_."

"B-but my life!" Zachariah protested.

" _Hm_. _Call Michael here."_ Truth only had to deliberate for a moment.

"But-"

" _Michael wants his vessel, right? Call him. He can come and get Edward Elric by himself. He can convince the alchemist with words himself, or you don't get him at all."_

"Michael can't talk to Elric without a vessel! If he tries, he'll most likely blow out Elric's eardrums! And then what would we do?"

" _Michael will be able to talk to Edward here. Here, in my void, no harm will come to either you or Edward. So call him."_

Reluctantly, Zachariah held out his hands palms up and said, "ZIRDO NOCO ABRAMG NAZPS."

The white place didn't shake as it would have if they stood on a normal plane, though a light brighter than Truth's void shone blindingly. Zachariah would have covered his eyes, but it was over before he could even get his hand up.

Michael's incorporeal form stood before Zachariah in Truth. Michael stared at Zachariah, waiting. "Well, Zachariah? You said you had my vessel ready? Where is he?"

"Well, uh, sir, you see-"

"You lied?" Michael's voice was stone cold, and once again his celestial glow brightened with anger, and for a moment, Zachariah really thought that he was goner.

Truth made himself known. " _Calm yourself, nephew,"_ he said quietly, though Zachariah had the impression that the only reason Michael's glow once again faded was because Truth made it.

" _You may yet get your vessel. I simply wanted Zachariah to call you so you could convince the boy yourself. If Edward becomes your Sword, then it will because he chooses to do so and because you have given him all of the facts, not just the ones you deem appropriate."_

Truth grinned widely again. " _And I do warn you. Edward Elric is quite as stubborn as Dean Winchester, so I suggest you be prepared to leave empty-handed."_

Michael nodded stonily. "Of course...Uncle."

Before one could say the word "vessel" there was another flash, but this time not of light. It was a dark flash, and within the flash was a void through which one could see a crowded street. There were two noticeable figures among the crowd, a tall suit of armor and a smaller boy with shockingly blond hair and an even more shockingly bright red coat.

The boy turned toward it with an astonished look, opening his mouth, most likely to say something to his brother. Before he could so, however, Truth gestured toward himself with one hand, and the older Elric was yanked through the void while his younger brother's back was turned.

He burst through the void and landed on his hands and knees, trying not retch up his lunch. Edward's stomach dry-heaved for a few seconds before he was able to get control of himself again. When he did, he looked up slowly to see three figures before him.

Two he didn't know. The other...well, "What do you want, bastard?"

The familiar wide grin settled across the Being's featureless face. " _All right, little alchemist?"_

"Who're you calling so small you couldn't see him behind a gnat?" Ed spat, climbing to his feet and wiping his mouth. His glance settled on the Truth's apparent friends.

One was old, looked like a businessman of sorts. He looked worried, a little scared, and more than a little pissed at something. The other guy, well, Ed couldn't really see him. His body and facial features were indefinable, hidden by this shining white light that seemed to surround him.

Ed immediately didn't like either of them.

"And who're these douches?"

Zachariah huffed angrily, taking a step toward the teen. The little prick really _was_ a lot like Dean Winchester. Well, Zachariah might just have to fix that. He took another step forward, grinning ferally when the kid took another step back. Michael placed a hand on his shoulder. His look said everything without the archangel actually having to speak.

With another pissed off sigh, Zachariah took a step back behind Michael. A triumphant smirk crossed the features of the child as if it'd had been he that pushed Zachariah back, as if he'd won the battle with the angel. Zachariah wanted to burn the pipsqueak's eyes out of his skull and liquify his insides. But no. He would not. Michael needed his vessel, and that meant not alienating the kid.

"You are Edward Elric?" Michael asked slowly, as if he didn't already know. Perhaps it was best not to let the kid know that angels had been spying on him for the better part of three years.

Ed stared at the angel with a mixture of contempt, curiosity, and weariness. "Yeah, but who wants to know?"

"I am Michael, an archangel of the Lord."

The boy snorted. "Yeah, sure, and I'm Ishballa."

Michael tilted his head. "I don't know who that is, but there is a matter over which we must speak."

Edward turned away uninterestedly. "Nah." He glared at Truth. "Why did you bring me here?"

Michael really wanted to smite someone. The only problem was, that someone was a possible vessel for him.

Truth grinned eerily. " _To speak over this matter with Michael, of course."_

Edward groaned. "Seriously?! What has this got to do with me? I just wanna get my brother's body back!"

" _That's why this will be your choice, little alchemist. No one will force you to go with Michael should you say no."_

"Don't be so sure about that," Zachariah muttered. Truth glared at him while Ed just stared.

He moved to stand in front of Michael. "Alright, what? What do you want?"

Michael stared down at the child, trying not to be impressed with his bravery. "I want you to be my vessel."

* * *

Ed sat on the nonexistent ground with his legs folded and his head in his hands. "You want me...to let you into my head so you can control my body and have some stupid mach showdown with your little brother. Because...God said it would happen. Am I getting this all right?"

"Yes," Michael said patiently. Really, he kinda liked this kid. Elric was a realist, and honestly, he seemed a better candidate for vessel-ism than Dean did.

"Bullshit."

Well, then. Perhaps not.

"And why is that?" Michael asked, a little less patiently.

"I'm agnostic, I don't believe in God." Ed replied, before glancing quickly over to where Truth sat. "No offense."

" _None taken, little alchemist. Besides, I'm not God."_

Ed snorted. "Yeah, whatever. And anyways, no. _Hell_ no, I'm not gonna be your stupid Sword. Get the other guy- Dean?- to do it."

Michael opened his mouth, but Zachariah interrupted him. "Why do you think we're even here, little ape? If Dean was going to say yes, we wouldn't be here! We wouldn't have any need of you, whatsoever, and you could go peacefully on with your search for the Philosopher's Stone!

"But no! Dean Winchester refuses to become Michael's Sword, and the earth will be roasted alive when Sam Winchester says yes to Lucifer! Do you honestly want that on your conscience?!"

Ed stared at Zachariah stonily. "I don't see what the destruction of your earth has to do with me. I have a mission to complete, and I intend to complete it! It's not my fault if your earth dies, and I certainly feel no urge to put my life on the line for you douchebags when I still have to help my brother!"

Zachariah took a step forward, and Edward got a glimpse of dark, shadowy wings against the white of the Void. Zachariah's face darkened, and his blade slipped into his hand. "You _will_ be Michael's Sword."

"The hell I will," Ed snapped. He was sure he probably would have been killed right then and there if Truth hadn't stepped in.

" _Zachariah. What did I tell you? I told you that you will not harm Edward Elric, and I meant it. Try it, and you will die here and now."_

Zachariah glared angrily at Truth, and then at Ed. He turned to look at Michael, as if asking for support. Too bad Michael felt no desire to defend the other angel. "I think, Zachariah, that perhaps you should return to our own universe. You know, cool down."

"But-" His argument was silenced by three separate glares. "As you wish, my lord." Zachariah vanished on the spot with the sound of large, fluttering wings.

" _Michael."_

"...Yes, Uncle?"

" _I told you to tell Edward_ everything _. You did not. Tell him the complete truth, or I will send him back to his brother and you and your angel spies will never clap eyes on him again."_

"I like this idea, let's go with it," Ed interrupted. "You know, the one about sending me home and never having to see this bastard again."

" _Shut up, little alchemist. Things greater than anything you can ever imagine are going down, and Michael is trying to bring you into it."_

"Fine," Ed grumbled, turning away.

Michael considered the boy. Was he really suitable to fight a war? Still so much like a child, which was why, Michael supposed, his commanding officer, Mustang, kept him away from deadly battles.

No, Edward Elric was not ready to fight a battle like this. But Michael had to have his vessel. Dean was never going to say yes, Elric didn't seem ready, and John Winchester was dead. There wasn't much else Michael could do.

Edward turned to stare Michael hard in the eyes, and once again, Michael was surprised by the nerve this kid had. "So," Edward said coolly. "What is it that Truth says you aren't telling me?"

"If you did choose to say yes, though now its apparent that you won't, it wouldn't exactly be the most...pleasant experience. I think humans would relate it to be chained to a comet entering the atmosphere."

A stricken sort of look crossed Edward's face. "...A comet, huh?"

Michael smiled without any real amusement. "Yes, I think that's about accurate." He wondered how close the child was to saying yes, and how much effect the truth about being used as a vessel had had upon his decision.

"Well, uh, no offense, but I don't think I'll be taking that position as your...vessel. I've already got two jobs, and I need to finish one and quit the other right afterwords. I have to return Al to his body, its my first and only priority."

Michael thought a moment, then looked at Truth as if asking if he could offer his idea. The Being simply grinned at him, like he was inviting Michael to do it.

"I could do that, you know," Michael said slowly. "I could give your brother his body back in exchange for becoming my vessel and helping me beat Lucifer."

Edward's bright golden eyes widened in shock and, Michael thought, a spark of hope. "You could?" He asked breathlessly.

Michael glanced at Truth, and the Being nodded. "Yes, I could. If you agreed to become my vessel, the first order of business would be to retrieve your brother's body from the Gateway and return it to him. It would only be right after that that I went to meet my brother on the battlefield."

Michael waited anxiously for an answer, which was weird, as Michael hadn't thought he was capable of anxiety. He chalked it up to just really wanting to finally have a corporeal body.

The boy looked to be deep in thought, as if going over the pros and cons of being an archangel's vessel.

Pro: Alphonse would get his body back.

Con: Edward would be chained to a comet.

Pro: The Devil would be stuffed back into his cage.

Con: Possibly. There was always the possibility that Edward and Michael would lose, and Lucifer would rule the earth.

Another con: If the Michael guy was right, then this big showdown could roast half of the planet. Millions of people would die whether Michael won or not. Al wouldn't want that to happen, not on account of him.

Edward strained his mind trying to think of another positive for helping Michael, but he just couldn't do it. And anyways, it didn't matter. The last con was all that did. Al would never want that many people to die because Edward had chosen to get his body back. Al would never be comfortable like that.

Al was all that mattered, and this other world shouldn't mean a thing to him. The decision was so hard; get Al's body back and millions of people die, or refuse Michael's help and giving his own, don't get Al's body back and maybe only thousands of people die.

Edward had heard the Truth earlier. Apparently, he, Ed, was a lot like the other Sword, the Dean guy. Well, if Dean was anything like Edward, then he would find another way. A way that wouldn't let thousands or millions of people die, even if it killed him.

Edward made his decision.

He turned back to Michael and the Truth. He looked directly into where he thought's Michael's eyes should be. "I-I'm sorry, but I can't. For so many reasons, I can't be your vessel."

Michael simply stared at the boy for a single moment before he nodded. "If that is your decision, then I suppose I will respect it." He glanced at Truth wearily. "As much as I would like to spend many long hours alone with trying to convince you, I somehow don't think that will happen. So goodbye, Edward Elric. I hope you find what you're looking for."

Michael vanished in another flash of light, Edward barely having enough time to whip his hand up to protect his eyes before the angel was gone. He looked at Truth.

"Did I make the right decision? To not help those angels?"

" _When did you become so unsure of your own actions, little alchemist?"_

"When the fate of a world and millions of people hang in the balance."

" _You made the best decision for you and your brother, that's all anyone can ever ask of you."_

"Somehow, that isn't comforting."

Edward looked around the white Void, then looked to Truth. It seemed to be waiting for something. What, though?

His thoughts turned toward that other world, and he wondered what would happen to it. If Dean Winchester would save his world and his brother before they could both be destroyed. If the world was destroyed, it would partially be Edward's fault. He wasn't sure he would be able to take that.

He looked back over at Truth. "Heya, Truth?"

It seemed to have been waiting for this. " _Yes, Edward?"_

Edward guessed it already knew what he wanted, but he asked it anyway. "I need you to do a favor for me."

The wide grin returned itself to Truth's face, and Edward felt his own mouth smile as well.

* * *

Dean sat unhappily in the panic room below Bobby's house, looking uninterestedly through a porn magazine he'd read a hundred times over.

Sure, the pictures were pretty hot, but Dean had examined them too many times for them to be truly engrossing anymore. Sighing, he dropped the magazine onto the floor and flopped onto his back on the bed, trying to angle himself in a way so the wrist handcuffed to the top of the bed wasn't as big a discomfort.

Failing, Dean sat up again and groaned. "C'MON, SAMMY!" he yelled, knowing full well that everyone upstairs could hear him perfectly fine. "LET ME OUTTA HERE, ALREADY!"

Honestly, Sam had a sort of point. What Dean was ready to do was the supernatural version of suicide, and it was only sensible for one to try and prevent one's brother from doing something like that. Hell, Dean would do the same thing for Sam.

But the world was going to burn a hell of lot hotter if Lucifer for some reason was able to jump Sam's meat when Michael couldn't jump Dean than it would if Dean just manned up and said yes.

Dean didn't want to say yes to the son of a bitch, but it wasn't like he had much of a choice. Either the world would burn or roast. Personally, Dean would prefer it if it burned.

"DAMMIT, SAM!" Dean yelled, angrily flinging a nearby chair across the room with his free hand. He ignored the loud clatter the chair produced and instead tried to find a way to lay down comfortably. Dean finally found a sem-natural position that wasn't awkward, and he closed his eyes to try and sleep when

"Yo! Are you Dean Winchester?"

Dean sat up quickly, accidentally cricking his neck and twisting his body in more than one unnatural position to face the owner of the voice. The owner of said voice was a teenager, roughly fifteen with long blond hair and a huge red coat.

Dean opened his mouth to yell for Sam or Cas or somebody when the kid shook his head. "I don't think it'll do you any good to call for someone, they shouldn't be able to see me."

"Why the hell not?" Dean asked suspiciously. "Who are you, and how did you get in here?"

"My name is Edward Elric, and I don't think that I'm actually here. The Truth bastard says it's just- what was the term?- I think it was _astral projection_ or something like that. It sounds kinda stupid."

Dean took a deep breath, deciding to just keep a close eye on the kid rather than trying to find something to kill him. "Astral projection I can understand. Truth bastard? I assume that's a person?"

Ed snorted. "Kinda sorta. He told me he was God's older brother."

Dean rubbed his face exhaustedly. "Somehow, that doesn't surprise me. Not anymore. So, what brings you here projecting, Edward Elric?"

"A warning."

Dean sat up a little straighter. "About what?"

"About Michael. He's exploring other vessel opportunities as you aren't going to say yes."

"Well, I was gonna say yes," Dean muttered. "But how do you know?"

"Michael payed me a visit and asked if he could use my body to fight his brother. I told him hell no, and he left. Did you say you _were_ gonna say yes?"

Dean looked away, unsure why he felt ashamed when he looked into those weird golden eyes. "I-yeah," he said quietly. "Sam and Cas stopped me before I could. I think they see this as a kind of suicide prevention or something."

Edward threw up his hands in exhasperation. "Seriously, dude? Michael wants to fight his brother and in the process kill millions of people! You really think that saying yes to that bastard is the right choice?"

Dean stood up as well as he could with his wrist still handcuffed to the bed and glared angrily at the teen. "No, I don't think it's the right choice! But it's the best choice! Lucifer will destroy the world if Michael doesn't have his vessel! More people will die if I don't say yes!" He paused, suddenly exhausted all over again. He sat back down on the edge of the bed. "And, I'm exhausted, dude. You don't really know me, but I've fighting for this goddamned family for so long. I will die in this fight, and I think I deserve some goddamned peace."

Edward just stared at him incredulously. He wished he wasn't astral, because he suddenly felt this huge urge that was nearly undeniable to punch Dean with a certain metal fist.

"Oh my god," Ed muttered, pacing the room. "The fate of your world is in the hands of you? Jeez. Truth said you were a broken shell of a man, but I didn't think it would be this bad."

"Excuse me?"

"Really, man? You can't really think giving in to Michael is your best shot! The guy's a douchebag at best, and he wants to destroy your _world_ because your Bible says he should! You don't think that _maybe_ that's a bit fucked up?!"

"I just told you! I don't think it's right, but I don't have a choice. And..." Dean's voice wavered for a moment. "If I say yes to Michael now, then he can fight Lucifer now. Lucifer wouldn't be able to jump Sam and Sam will be as safe as he can get."

Edward sighed. "Look, man, I don't really know you, but Truth says we're a lot alike. I can understand wanting to protect your little brother, a lot of times, it's the only thing I can think about. But you have to trust that Sam knows what he's doing."

Edward took a deep breath and looked Dean in the eyes. "If we're as much alike as Truth says we are, then you'll find another way."

A small grin made its way across Dean's face. "You know something, kid? I actually think there might be."

Edward grinned too. "Awesome." He looked around, as if he could hear something Dean couldn't. "It's time for me to go, I've said and done what I needed to." He gave Dean a sloppy salute, which was only a little neater than the one he gave the Colonel. "Nice meeting you and all."

Dean nodded back at the kid, and then he disappeared. A moment later, the thick iron door squealed open and Sam poked his head in. "You talkin' to someone?"

Dean looked back at his brother, deciding what to say. "Nah, just to myself. I think I've decided we should come up with another plan. You know, one that doesn't involve saying yes to Michael."

Sam groaned in relief. "Finally!"

Dean snorted. "Yeah, yeah. Don't get too excited over there, Sammy. Are you gonna take these cuffs off me or what?"

* * *

When Michael arrived back from the Truth's Void, Zachariah was pacing around the beautiful room, waiting for him. "You'd better have something useful, Zachariah, or else your life is coming very close to an end."

Zachariah stared at him wide-eyed, deciding that Michael was telling the truth. "W-well, uh, there was another option I was considering. Especially if that Edward Elric didn't work out, as I assume it didn't."

"Obviously it didn't work out, you buffoon! Otherwise I wouldn't be standing here, talking with slime! I would be out there, fighting Lucifer already!" Michael's archangel glow lit the beautiful room, and Zachariah had to shield his eyes. "You have consistently failed me, Zachariah, and if you don't have some good news for me right now, I swear to our Father who doesn't art in heaven, that I will smite you!"

Zachariah flinched back. "I-I, um, there is o-one other option, my lord."

"Spit it out."

"Adam."

"Say again?"

"Uh, Adam Winchester, sir. The dead one."

"Find him. Get him to say yes, and don't let him give no for an answer. Say whatever you have to." Michael vanished from the beautiful room, leaving Zachariah alone.

"Aw, crap," Zachariah mumbled, before vanishing as well. He had a dead Winchester to find.

* * *

 **A/N: I didn't mean for this to be 7,256 words and 28 pages long, I really didn't. Well, I hope you guys enjoyed it anyway! Lord knows it only took me a week to finish.**

 **Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed it and don't forget to review!**

 **BYE;3**


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